Do you know a real archaeological artifact when you see one? Can you look at a reconstructed dig and recreate the life of its original inhabitants? History is about more than reading old documents. It is an opportunity to evaluate the evidence and decide for yourself what happened. By taking a closer look at some crucial episodes in the development of this country, you can hone your skills as an historian and archaeologist. You can begin to understand the dynamic interactions that took place between native peoples and European newcomers and how those encounters continue to shape the United States to this day.
Using the collections of artifacts at the Academy’s Robert S. Peabody Museum of Archeology, together with extensive library and internet materials, you will actively explore a series of case studies. The complexity of this nation’s history unfolds from the mounds of Cahokia to the early native settlements along the Merrimack River, from the witch trials at Salem to the Indian raids at Deerfield, from the wars in the west between the plains tribes and the United States army to the current controversy over Kennewick Man. We will take field trips to the Rebecca Nurse Homestead where you will participate in an actual archaeological dig, to the Mashantucket Pequot Museum, and to historic Plimoth plantation and Salem will bring these stories alive. Getting to know key figures in these stories will help youunderstand the minds and strategies of individuals who played significant roles in our nation's history. Seeing the peace medal that President Ulysses S. Grant gave to Red Cloud, or a tomahawk picked up at the Battle of the Little Bighorn, can make the past real.In this course you will develop your critical thinking, reading, and writing skills to interpret the past using a combination of traditional written sources, electronic sources, and the archaeological record. This is a unique opportunity to witness history.
Units of Study:
Week One: Introduction to Archaeology and to the Peabody Museum
Week Two: The Earliest Americans and the Beginnings of Contact
Week Three: The Early Colonial Period
Week Four: The Early National Period and Expansion
Introduction to Dig This! '08
Do you know a real archaeological artifact when you see one? Can you look at a reconstructed dig and recreate the life of its original inhabitants? History is about more than reading old documents. It is an opportunity to evaluate the evidence and decide for yourself what happened. By taking a closer look at some crucial episodes in the development of this country, you can hone your skills as an historian and archaeologist. You can begin to understand the dynamic interactions that took place between native peoples and European newcomers and how those encounters continue to shape the United States to this day.
Using the collections of artifacts at the Academy’s Robert S. Peabody Museum of Archeology, together with extensive library and internet materials, you will actively explore a series of case studies. The complexity of this nation’s history unfolds from the mounds of Cahokia to the early native settlements along the Merrimack River, from the witch trials at Salem to the Indian raids at Deerfield, from the wars in the west between the plains tribes and the United States army to the current controversy over Kennewick Man. We will take field trips to the Rebecca Nurse Homestead where you will participate in an actual archaeological dig, to the Mashantucket Pequot Museum, and to historic Plimoth plantation and Salem will bring these stories alive. Getting to know key figures in these stories will help youunderstand the minds and strategies of individuals who played significant roles in our nation's history. Seeing the peace medal that President Ulysses S. Grant gave to Red Cloud, or a tomahawk picked up at the Battle of the Little Bighorn, can make the past real. In this course you will develop your critical thinking, reading, and writing skills to interpret the past using a combination of traditional written sources, electronic sources, and the archaeological record. This is a unique opportunity to witness history.
Units of Study:
Week One: Introduction to Archaeology and to the Peabody Museum
Week Two: The Earliest Americans and the Beginnings of Contact
Week Three: The Early Colonial Period
Week Four: The Early National Period and Expansion
Week Five: The Twentieth Century to the Present